English tenses for children. Tenses in English

Here you can find English tenses in tables with examples / Tenses in English in tables with examples.

1. The Present Perfect Tense

The Present Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have/has and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

  • With regular verbs
  • With irregular verbs.

Please note these rules in the examples in the table below.

Education Present Perfect

Affirmative form

Negative form

Interrogative form

He (she, it) has seen her

We have seen her

You have seen her

They have seen her

I have not seen her

He (she, it) has not seen her

We have not seen her

You have not seen her

They have not seen her

Have I seen her?

Has he (she, it) seen her?

Have we seen her?

Have you seen her?

Have they seen her?

Cases of using the Present Perfect

1. If an action is described, the result of which is visible in the present tense

The prisoners have laid an escape plan; here it is.

The prisoners made an escape plan; here he is.

2. Instead of Present Perfect Continuous with verbs that are not used with Continuous tenses (know, recognize, see, etc.) Tom has known Mary for ten years Tom has known Maria for 10 years

2. The Past Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb had and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

  • With regular verbs

The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.

  • With irregular verbs.

The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).

Education Past Perfect

Affirmative form

Negative form

Interrogative form

He (she, it) had seen her

You had seen her

They had seen her

I had not seen her

He (she, it) had not seen her

We had not seen her

You had not seen her

They had not seen her

Had he (she, it) seen her?

Had we seen her?

Had you seen her?

Had they seen her?

Uses of Past Perfect

1. When describing an action that occurred before a certain point in the past or before another past action.

The students had shown us the presentation by three o"clock

We had called them when you came

The students gave us a presentation at three o'clock

We called them when you arrived

2. An action that began before another action in the past and was still being performed at the time of its occurrence. Mary had waited for me for several hours, when I found her Maria had already been waiting for me for several hours when I found her

3. The Future Perfect Tense

The Past Perfect is formed using the auxiliary verb have in the form of the future tense (will have) and the past participle form of the verb (Past Participle). The ways of forming sentences with regular and irregular verbs are different.

  • With regular verbs

The ending -ed is added to the infinitive form.

  • With irregular verbs.

The Past Participle form is used (third column of the table of irregular verbs).

Education Future Perfect

Affirmative form

Negative form

Interrogative form

I will have seen her

He (she, it) will have seen her

We will have seen her

You will have seen her

They will have seen her

I will not have seen her

He (she, it) will not have seen her

We will not have seen her

You will not have seen her

They will not have seen her

Will I have seen her?

Will he (she, it) have seen her?

Will we have seen her?

Will you have seen her?

Will they have seen her?

Uses of Future Perfect

1. When a future action is described that will occur before a certain point in the future.

The students will have shown the presentation when your manager comes

The students will have already shown the presentation when your manager arrives.

Perfect Continuous Times

1. The Present Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is formed using the verb to be in the Present Perfect form (have been/has been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, the Present Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb have/has been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.

Education Present Perfect Continuous

Affirmative form

Negative form

Interrogative form

I have been waiting for you

He (she, it) has been waiting for you

We have been waiting for you

You have been waiting for me

I have not been waiting for you

He (she, it) has not been waiting for you

We have been waiting for you

You have been waiting for me

They have been waiting for you

Have I been waiting for you?

Has he (she, it) been waiting for you?

Have we been waiting for you?

Have you been waiting for me?

Have they been waiting for you?

Cases of using the Present Perfect Continuous

1. A continuous action that occurs in the present tense with an indication of how long it takes to complete.

They have been painting the walls since nine o"clock

They've been painting the walls since nine o'clock.

2. A long-term action that began in the past and ended immediately before the moment of speech. Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining hard. Although the sun is shining, it is still cold as it has been raining heavily.

2. The Past Perfect Continuous Tense

This tense is formed using the verb to be in the Past Perfect form (had been) and the present participle form of the verb (Present Participle). In other words, the Present Perfect Continuous is formed by using the auxiliary verb had been and adding the ending -ing to the semantic verb.

Formation Past Perfect Continuous

Affirmative form

Negative form

Interrogative form

I had been waiting for you

He (she, it) had been waiting for you

We had been waiting for you

You had been waiting for me

They had been waiting for you

I had not been waiting for you

He (she, it) had not been waiting for you

We had not been waiting for you

You had not been waiting for me

They had not been waiting for you

Had I been waiting for you?

Had he (she, it) been waiting for you?

Had we been waiting for you?

Had you been waiting for me?

Had they been waiting for you?

Cases of using Past Perfect Continuous

1. A continuous action in the past that occurred at the time of the occurrence of another past action, indicating how long it took to occur.

They had been painting the walls for three hours when we came

They had already been painting the walls for three hours when we arrived.

2. A long action in the past that ended just before the moment of another past action. John felt tired as he had been playing tennis for four hours. John felt tired because he had been playing tennis for four hours.

Table of English tenses given with examples, table of english times should be known by heart table of english times given below. Table of English tenses It will help you remember and put everything in your memory faster and easier, although it is not enough for complete comprehension. We advise you to use the summary table of English tenses with examples at first, so as not to get lost in tenses. It doesn’t matter whether you learn English via Skype or study on your own, you will definitely need a table of English verb tenses. We advise you to use the summary table of English tenses with examples at first, so as not to get lost in tenses. You are invited to study and download two tables of tenses: a table of tense formation and a table of the use of English tenses. The first table of tenses clearly shows how tenses are formed in English, and the second table lists all the functions of tenses with English examples. The tense tables are based on articles on how to learn tenses in English. It should be noted that the table of tenses shows examples only for the main cases of using one or another English tense. English Times difficult for English learners, English Times will take a lot of effort from you, but remember English Times tables will help English times. English Times represent the greatest difficulty in remembering and applying. Despite all the difficulties, the system of English times has an undeniable advantage - it has strict orderliness, logic, and obeys the laws of grammar. English verbs are a very important part of speech for the formation of almost any statement. In English, there are four groups of verb tenses, shown just below in the table of tenses: Indefinite (Simple) Tense - indefinite / simple tense, Progressive (Continuous) Tense - continuous tense, Perfect Tense - perfect / completed tense, Perfect Continuous Tense - complete- extended time. The grammar of tenses in English is very extensive, which is why the table of tenses below is not enough to fully understand and figure out which is which. English tenses are a way of expressing actions indicating the period of its occurrence, and they are all built on the basis of changing verb forms. Actions can be expressed in Active Voice (active voice) and Passive Voice (passive voice). There are 12 active tenses in the English language. In order not to get confused by them, this lesson has prepared a table of the most common 12 English tenses, thanks to which you can structure your knowledge in these topics. It should be noted that this table is rather intended for those students who have already mastered all English tenses and want to sort out their acquired knowledge “on the shelves.” It is recommended to study the tenses of the English language with examples that will not only demonstrate the method of formation and use, but also show typical situations of use. In the initial stages of learning, any way to remember tense functions is useful. It is better to study each separately and then together. Tenses in English will take a lot of your energy. Well, what can you do? To a certain extent, each group of English tenses may have some signs that suggest and help to understand which tense to use in a particular case. And although such signs do not allow us to determine with absolute certainty which time will be the most correct in a given case, they still simplify the task of choice. Such signs express the period or time in which the action takes place.

For example:
yesterday (yesterday) indicates simple past
every day (every day) indicates simple present
tomorrow (tomorrow) indicates simple future
while (while) indicates past continuous
now (now) indicates present continuous

There are many such marker words in English that express a moment or period in time, and many of them indicate whether an action happened in the past or will only happen in the future, and they can suggest which tense group should be used. If you learn to recognize such sign words, it will greatly help when choosing tenses. However, it should be taken into account that some such feature words can be used in more than one tense group. Below is a table containing the main such sign words and showing which English tense they indicate. However, the grammar of tenses in English is very extensive, which is why this table is not enough to fully understand and figure out which is which. It is better to study each separately and then together. Sometimes it is actually difficult to understand whether an action lasted or ended, whether it is happening in the past or in the present. But everything is learned in practice. That is why it is recommended to study the tenses of the English language with examples that will not only demonstrate the method of formation and use, but also show typical situations of use. Tenses in English will take a lot of your energy. Well, what can you do? But tables will help you remember and put everything in your memory faster and easier, although they are not enough for complete comprehension. The grammar of tenses in the English language is very extensive, which is why this table is not enough to fully understand and figure out which is which. That is why it is recommended to study English tenses with examples.

English tense table

Past (past tense) Present (present time) Future (future tense)
Simple/Indefinite Simple Past Simple Present Simple Future
yesterday - yesterday
last year / month / etc – last year / month / etc.
one year / month ago – one year / month ago
every morning / day / etc. – every morning / every day / etc.
always - always
usually - usually
frequently / often – often
sometimes - sometimes
tomorrow - tomorrow
tonight - this evening
next week / month / etc. – next week / next month / etc.
soon - soon
in the future - in the future
Continuous/Progressive Past Continuous Present Continuous Future Continuous
while – while
when - when
now - now
right now - right now
this week / minute / etc. – this week / this minute / etc.
when - when
after - after
as soon as - as soon as
before - before
Perfect Past Perfect Present Perfect Future Perfect
before - earlier
already - already
by the time - by that time
until then / last week / etc. – until this moment / until last week / etc.
after - after
until now - until now
since - since then
ever - ever
never - never
many times / weeks / years / etc. – many times / many weeks / many years / etc.
for three hours / minutes / etc. – within three hours / minutes / etc.
by the time you go (somewhere) - by the time you go (somewhere)
by the time you do (something) – by the time you do (something)
already - already
Perfect Continuous / Perfect Progressive Past Perfect Continuous Present Perfect Continuous Future Perfect Continuous
before - earlier
for one week / hour / etc. – within one week / one hour / etc.
since - since then
for the past year / month / etc. – during the last year / month / etc.
for the last 2 months / weeks / etc. – during the last 2 months/weeks/etc.
up to now - until now
since - since then
by the time - by that time
for ten days / weeks / etc. – within ten days / weeks / etc.
by – to (any moment)

English tenses table

PresentPastFuture
I work

1) Normal, repetitive action

I always close the window at night.

2) Laws and natural phenomena, scientific results, facts

The sun rises in the east.

3) Domestic situations

Do you want to spend a lot of money here?

4) Stories, anecdotes, reviews, sports commentary

Then the prince gets on his horse and rides away.

5) Train schedules, movie theater schedules

The plane from London arrives at 17:40.

I worked

1) Fact or single completed action in the past

The Titanic sank in 1912.

I went to Germany two years ago.

2) Several past actions that occurred in chronological order.

I woke up, took a shower, got dressed and went out to have breakfast in a café.

3) Repeated action in the past

I took English courses when I was twelve.

I will work

1) Simple single action in the future

He will miss the bus.

2) An action that will occupy a certain period of time in the future

Will you be my friend?

3) Sequence of actions in the future

I will meet you and tell you the whole story.

4) Recurring actions in the future

I will visit you a few times while I’m in London.

5) Assumptions or thoughts about the future

I'm afraid the rain won't stop soon.

6) Decision made at the time of conversation

I will order a steak and chips, and you?

7) Promises, offers, threats, requests

Don’t worry, everything will be alright.

Continuous

I am working

1) Action occurring at the moment of speech or in the present period of time

I can’t understand what you are talking about now.

I am reading a new novel by Fedor Dostoevsky.

2) Action covering any time period in the present

She is studying at the institute.

3) Changing situation

Is your Russian getting better now?

4) Planned action (place and time known)

I’m meeting my sister at 5 at the café.

5) Action in the near future (with verbs of motion)

They are moving to the other city.

6) To express a negative characteristic

She is always interrupting me when I’m talking.

I was working

1) A continuous action that occurred at a certain moment in the past

We were playing chess at 5 o’clock.

2) Two or more long-term actions in the past that occurred simultaneously

She was playing piano and her sister was singing.

3) A long action in the past that is interrupted by another (usually short) action.

As he was taking a shower, somebody knocked at his door.

4) When describing a setting or atmosphere

He entered the door. The candles were burning in the corners and the smell of cigarettes was filling the room.

5) To express a negative characteristic

The boy was constantly playing tricks on his poor mother.

I will be working

1) An action that will take place at a certain point in the future

This time next Sunday we will be flying to Hawaii.

2) An action that the speaker believes will definitely happen in the future

He won’t be meeting you tomorrow, because he has fallen ill.

3) Politely ask about the other person’s plans for the near future, especially when we need this person to do something for us

Will you be using the printer for long? I need to print a document promptly.

I have worked

1) An action that was completely completed in the past, but has a connection with the present through the result of this action

We have bought a new car, so it’s time to sell the old one.

2) An action that began in the past and continues in the present

We have known each other since school years.

3) In subordinate clauses of time after conjunctions when, before, after, as soon as, till, until to convey a future action that will end before the action from the main clause begins

I’ll serve you a dessert only after you have eaten the main course.

I had worked

1) An action that occurred before a certain point in the past

By the end of the year she had learned to cook.

Fortunately the rain had stopped before we left the house.

2) An action that began in the past and lasted before or during another moment in the past

I got to know that Mary and Jacob had not met since our wedding.

3) In the phrases “didn’t pass and..., how”, “didn’t have time and..., how”, “barely”, “only”

He hadn’t said a few words when somebody interrupted him.

We had scarcely finished dinner when Lily brought a big cake.

I will have worked

1) Future action that will end before a certain point in the future

I will have translated the article by noon.

By the time you come home, I will have cooked dinner.

2) Past intended action (“should be”, “probably”)

The reader will have noticed our negative attitude to any form of nationalism.

Perfect Continuous

I have been working

1) An action that began in the past, lasted for some time and continues to be performed in the present

She has been cooking dinner for three hours already.

2) A long action in the past that ended immediately before the moment of speech, and the result of this action affects the present

The streets are wet. It has been raining all the morning.

I had been working

1) A long-term action that began before a certain moment in the past and continued at that moment

She had been cooking for an hour when I came.

2) A long-term action that began before a certain moment in the past and ended right before it

They had been discussing some important matters and he looked upset after that conversation.

I will have been working

1) A future continuous action that will begin earlier than another future moment or action and will continue at that moment

I will have been working at the project for a month when you join me.

Generalized table of English verb tenses

Simple Continuous Perfect Perfect Continuous
Present I write A habitual action that is repeated regularly I am writing Action in development, unfinished, happening at the present moment I have written Action in the past, result in the present I have been writing An action that lasted in the past, is still ongoing, or ended immediately before the moment of speech
Past I wrote An action in the past that has nothing to do with the present I was writing An action in development that occurred at a certain point in the past I had written An action completed at some specific point in the past I had been writing An action that began in the past and continued until a certain point in the past
Future I will write Action that will happen in the future I will be writing Developmental action occurring at a specific point in the future I will have written An action that will be completed at some specific time in the future I will have been writing An action that begins in the future and continues until a certain point

Extended table times English verbs:

Simple(statement of fact: what does it do?) Continuous(process: what is being done now?) Perfect(completeness: what did/is done?) Perfect Continuous(process already for some period of time)
Present I write
A habitual action that is repeated regularly
Can be used:
every day
always
on Mondays
usually
often
sometimes
rarely
rarely
never
In addition, this tense is used in subordinate clauses of time and conditions after the conjunctions if, when, as soon as, before instead of the Future Simple.
As soon as I write the letter, I will post it immediately.
In addition, this tense is used instead of Continuous with verbs denoting perception, mental effort, feelings: to see, to feel, to hear, to know, to understand, to want, to love, to be, to belong, to consist.
I see her now.
I hear a noise.
I don’t understand what he is talking about.
I, you, we, they V,
he, she,it V-s
I write a letter.
He writes a letter.
I am writing
Action in development, unfinished, happening at the present moment
to be V-ing
I am writing this letter.
You (we, they) are writing this letter.
He (she, it) is writing this letter.
I have written
An action that took place in the past, but has a direct connection with the present moment. We are talking about the current result of that action. Without specifying the moment in time.
Can be used:
already
just
today
this week
to have/has V3
I have written this letter.
He has already written this letter.
I have been writing
An action that began before the present moment, lasted for some time, and continues at the moment of speech or ended immediately before the moment of speech. “Already within…”
to have/has been V-ing
I have been writing this letter for two days.
He has been writing this letter for two days.
Past I wrote
An action that was performed or has taken place in the past and is in no way connected with the present moment of speech.
V-ed, V2
I wrote this letter yesterday.
He wrote this letter yesterday.
I was writing
An action in development, unfinished, occurring at a certain moment in the past. Often a moment in the past is indicated.
Verbs in the Past Continuous are never used with the words for, since, recently.
was/were V-ing
I was writing this letter yesterday when he came.
They were writing this letter at seven o'clock last night.
I had written
An action completed at a specific point in the past
had V3
I had written this letter by seven o’clock last night.
He had written this letter before I came.
I had been writing
An action that began before a specified moment in the past and continued up to that moment, excluding or including it.
Verbs in the Past Perfect Continuous are never used with the words at, when, while.
had been V-ing
I had been writing this letter for two hours yesterday when he came.
He had been writing the letter since two o’clock when you came.
Future I will write
An action or series of sequential actions that will happen in the future.
will V
I will write the letter tomorrow.
He will write the letter tomorrow by 7 o’clock.
I will be writing
An action in progress, unfinished, occurring at a certain point in the future. Often a future moment is indicated.
will be V-ing
I will be writing a letter when he comes.
(pay attention to the present tense of the verb come - if the main clause is in the future tense, then the condition is in the present!)
He will be writing a letter at 7 o’clock tomorrow.
I will have written
An action that will be completed at some specific time in the future.
will have V3
I will have written the letter before he comes.
He will have written the letter before I come.
I will have been writing
An action that begins before a certain moment in the future and will continue until that moment.
will have been V-ing
I will have been writing a letter for an hour when he comes.
He will have been writing a letter for an hour when I come.

Tenses in English are the main component of any course of study. I know from my own experience how difficult they can be for some people. But you can’t go anywhere without them.

There is a huge amount of literature on this topic, but this routine only confuses.

If you want to start learning English in order to know English or simply, for example, be able to compose questions or translate texts, then this article will be your assistant.

With the help of this article you will understand the difference in times, it will help you stop being confused about times, but the rules, forms of education - all this is easily accessible for independent study. After reading, you can also go deeper into studying this topic based on the principle.

So let's get started.

There are 4 tenses in English:
Simple.
Long lasting.
Completed.
Durable-complete.

Each time is divided into:
The present
Past
Future
It’s simple, tenses are divided according to the same system in the Russian language. Now I will briefly describe each of the times and its distinctive properties and how to easily and quickly distinguish it from others.

1) Simple

This is the easiest time. The easiest.

Meaning- statement of fact. Denotes a regular, usual, natural action. Facts, truths. This time does NOT have a specific point in time.

In general, if you just say it, it shows a normal action, someone did something, someone knows something, etc. or just a fact. The same action that, for example, a person does every morning, or every day, or what a person did yesterday.
If the sentence contains the words - everyday, usually, never, at first, then, after, in the morning, in the evening, tomorrow, next week, next month, often, soon - then most likely this is a simple tense. You can distinguish by the presence in a sentence of auxiliary verbs in negative and interrogative sentences: do, does, did, didn"t, don"t, will, shall, will not, shall not. Remember - regularity, fact, ordinary action.

The present- the person is doing this now, or he is doing this every day (talking every day, or reading a book, writing a letter, etc.).
Past- an action that happened or happened in the past. Well, or a fact from the past (wrote a letter yesterday, worked every day, worked from 90 to 95, went shopping in the evening).
Future- an action or series of actions that will happen in the future, predictions, forecasts (I will work tomorrow, I will write a letter, I will study foreign language every day, I will do an essay soon).

2) Long-term

Process is the main meaning of time. Shows that an action is being done, has been done or will be done certain time. I did, but didn't do it. If the sentence contains the words - now, at the moment, at, when, while, at 20 o"clock, tomorrow - then most likely it is a long time. You can distinguish it by the ing ending of the verbs. Auxiliary verbs - was, were , was not, were not, am, will be, shall be. Remember - shows that time was spent on the action.

The present- an action that a person does right now, he actually does it and wastes his time, and this is exactly what is shown in the sentence (Working now, writing a letter at the moment, going home now).
Past- an action that occurred at some specific moment in the past, or that was done at the moment when another action occurred. (I was writing a letter at 7 pm; he was writing a letter when I entered the room, he had been sleeping for 4 hours).
Future- an action that will take place at a certain moment in the future (I will write a letter at 7 pm, I will dig the earth tomorrow from 7 to 9 am).

3)Completed

The result is the main meaning of time. Shows that the action is completed, is there a result! If a sentence contains the words - twice, lately, recently, several times, yet, already, never, just, ever - then this is most likely a completed tense. You can distinguish them by the auxiliary verbs - had, has, have, shall have, will have.

Remember - there is a result here, the action here has completed or will end, and this is either way.

The present- an action that took place in the past, but has the most direct connection with the present. Example: he has already written a letter. Let me explain: he did this in the past, but the result applies specifically to the present. Example: I just lost my key. Let me explain: what he lost was in the past, but he is talking about it now.
Past- an action that completed before a certain point in time in the past (I wrote a letter by 7 o’clock).
Future- an action that will be completed by some specific moment in the future (I will write a letter by 7 o’clock).

4) Completed - long

Here I recommend independent study. This tense is not used in colloquial speech, and it is better to come to the study of this tense after studying the above written tenses. Don't worry about it, work out the previous tenses!

So, to summarize:

Simple tense is a statement of fact.
It's a long process.
Completed is the result.
Practice makes perfect. Do simple tasks, guided by this article, and soon you will calmly distinguish one time from another. Improve yourself! Good luck!


Present Simple Tense(Russian: Present Simple) is used more often than any other tense in English. Therefore, to speak English well, you need to learn how to use this tense correctly.

How can the past and future be, when the past is no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present, if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity.

How can there be a past and a future when the past no longer exists and the future does not yet exist? What about the present? If it always existed, it would never become the past, which means it would not be time, but eternity.

~ Augustine of Hippo

The name itself Present Simple or the simple present tense already speaks for itself. And at first, many may mistakenly take it for a complete analogue of the present tense in Russian.

Yes indeed, Present Simple Tense (or Present Indefinite Tense) has a lot in common with it: we use this tense to describe simple, regular actions, habits, preferences. However, there are other special cases of using the Present Simple tense in English, which you will learn about by reading this article.

So, let's figure out in order what this Present Indefinite time is, how to form negation and questions in Present Simple, and how to use it correctly.

Which is correct: Present Simple or Present Indefinite?

“Everything ingenious is simple.” This is exactly how I would like to describe the times of the Simple group, because “simple” is translated into Russian as “simple,” and the times themselves denote simple everyday actions.

First, let's figure out why the well-known Present Simple Tense(Russian Present Simple tense) is very often also called Present Indefinite(Russian: Present Indefinite tense), and is there a difference between them.

Present Simple very often describes an action where time is uncertain. In the examples I work in LA(Russian: I work in Los Angeles) or I live in NY(Russian: I live in New York) the verb expresses action in general; the time as such is not specified.

That is why Present Simple is also called Present Indefinite, because “indefinite” is translated as “uncertain”. And such a name in some cases better conveys the meaning of this time.

Although Present Simple called present (Russian present), it does not always describe the action that is happening now, at the present time. For the action taking place at the moment of speaking, it is used (Russian: Present continuous action).

So, as we see, Present Simple And Present Indefinite- these are just different names for the same time. By the way, in Russian, when translating, two terms are also used: the present simple and the present indefinite.

In linguistics and in teaching English, you may encounter both names, although the frequency of use of the names may vary depending on the region and the preferences of publishers who print textbooks for English learners.

Present Simple: reference table

Reference table: Rules for the formation of the affirmative form, negation and questions in the Present Simple and its use in English

As you can see from the table, verbs in the Present Simple affirmative form coincide with the infinitive form without the particle to in all persons. except for the 3rd person singular adding the ending -s/-es.

Auxiliary verbs do/does can be found in questions and negations, and not always. For example verb be(Russian be) and modal verbs can(Russian: can), must(Russian: to be due), need(Russian: need) form negative and interrogative forms in Present Simple without the help of an auxiliary verb.

In order to ensure that there are absolutely no questions left, let’s look at how affirmative, negative and interrogative forms are formed in more detail and analyze everything with examples.

Rules for the formation of Present Simple: affirmative sentences

The Present Simple is called simple because no auxiliary verbs are used to form its affirmative form. Below are rules and reference tables Present Simple for the formation of affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in English.

Formation of the affirmative form Present Simple

Basic table for the formation of the affirmative form in Present Simple and spelling rules for endings -(e)s for the 3rd person singular

Affirmative form of Present Simple- one of the few, for the formation of which no auxiliary verb is required, but endings are used, and then only in the 3rd person singular.

Remember!

To form an affirmative sentence in the Present Simple, use first form of the verb(infinitive) without particle to after the subject (the subject performing the action). If the subject is in the 3rd person singular. numbers, the ending is added to the verb -(e)s

For example:

I work in a hotel(Russian: I work in a hotel): I- subject, work- verb

We dance every Sunday(Russian: We dance every Sunday): We- subject, dance- verb

My son plays in a band(Russian. My son plays in a band): My son- subject, plays- verb

If the action is done I(Russian) you(Russian: you, you), we(Russian we), they(Russian they), plural noun ( boys- boys, dogs- dogs, friends- friends), then the verb does not change in any way.

However, if the action is performed he(rus.on), she(Russian she), it(Russian it, this, singular number for inanimate objects), singular noun ( a girl- girl, a cat- cat Kitty, a friend- friend), then the ending -s, sometimes -es is added to the verbs.

Examples of affirmative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

Spelling rules for endings -s, -es in Present Simple.

Let's look at when verbs take an ending in the Present Simple tense -s, and when -es, and when they do not follow the rules, that is, they are exceptions.

1. An ending is added to most verbs in the Present Indefinite tense in the 3rd person singular -s:

play-plays(Russian plays)

sit-sits(Russian sitting)

clean- cleans(Russian cleans)

2. Verbs that end in - s, -sh, -ch, tch, -x, -z, add ending -es. This is due to the history of the language and the ease of pronunciation: when there are two similar sounds next to each other, it is difficult for us to pronounce them without a linking vowel:

kiss-kisses(Russian kisses)

wish-wishes(Russian wishes)

march-marches(Russian marching)

watch-watches(Russian looks)

box-boxes(Russian boxing)

buzz-buzzes(Russian buzzes)

3. Verbs ending in -o, also add the ending -es. Fortunately, there are few such verbs:

do-does(Russian does)

go-goes(Russian is coming)

4. If the verb ends in I agree and -y, ending is used -es. In this case -y changes to -i :

cry-cries(Russian cries, screams)

study-studies(Russian studies)

try-tries(Russian tries)

5. If the verb ends in vowel and -у, just adding the ending -s. There are no changes with -y:

play-plays(Russian plays)

pray-prays(Russian prays)

say-says(Russian speaking)

6. Verb have Present Simple does not add endings -s or -es. For the 3rd person singular the form is used has. Compare:

I have a cat(Russian: I have a cat, literally - I have a dog)

He has a dog(Russian: He has a dog, literally - He has a dog)

7. Verb be in the Present Simple tense has my forms: am, is, are, about which read further in this article.

Negative and interrogative sentences in the Present Simple

Present Simple: examples of negative sentences

Basic table for the formation of the full and shortened negative form in Present Simple.

To say that we are NOT doing something, we use an auxiliary verb in negative sentences do does(For he, she, it

Remember!

To form negative sentences in the Present Simple to the auxiliary verb do/does, which stands between the subject and the main predicate verb in the infinitive form, a negative particle is added not.

For example:

I don't watch(Russian: I don't watch)

They don't study(Russian: They don’t study)

It doesn't paint(Russian: He doesn't draw)

The boy doesn't box(Russian: The boy doesn’t box)

In the last two examples It doesn't paint(Russian: He doesn’t draw) and The boy doesn't box(Russian: The boy does not box), as you noticed, the main verbs paint And box used without ending -(e)s, which is used to form the affirmative form in the Present Simple, compare: He paints(Russian: He draws), He boxes(Russian: He is boxing)

Important!

When using an auxiliary verb does to form negation in Present Simple (3rd person singular) main verb loses ending -(e)s: doesn't go, doesn't watch, doesn't play

This is due to the fact that the auxiliary verb does already has an ending -es, and there is no need to use it in the main verb. Below are 10 more examples of negative Present Simple sentences.

Examples of negative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

Sentence in English Translation Sentence in English Translation
I don't know.
= I don’t know..
I don't know. He doesn't know.
= He doesn’t know.
He does not know.
We don't love cats.
= We don't love cats
We don't like cats. She does not love cats.
= She doesn’t love cats
She doesn't like cats.
Friends don't lie.
= Friends don't lie
Friends don't lie My friend does not lie.
= My friend doesn’t lie.
My friend is not lying.
My parents do not speak German.
= My parents don’t speak German.
My parents don't speak German. He does not speak German.
= He doesn’t speak Germa
He does not speak German.
= He doesn’t speak Germa
I don't like rude people.
= I don’t like rude people.
I don't like rude people. My sister does not like rude people.
= My sister doesn’t like rude people.
My sister doesn't like rude people.

Forms don't And doesn't, as you probably already guessed, are a shortened form of don't And does not.

Abbreviated forms don't And doesn't are used in colloquial speech, but it is better to give preference to the full form don't And does not.

Present Simple: interrogative sentences

Reference table for the formation of simple and special questions in the Present Simple and short answers

An auxiliary verb is also used to form questions in the Present Simple do(for 1st and 2nd person, 3rd person plural) or does(For he, she, it and for all nouns in the singular).

There are two types of questions: general and specific. General questions require a clear answer “Yes” or “No”, while specific ones are asked to clarify details and details.

Compare:

Do you like ice-cream? -Yes, I do(Russian. Do you like ice cream? - Yes)

Which ice-cream do you like? - Chocolate(Russian. What kind of ice cream do you like? - Chocolate)

Remember!

To ask a general question in the Present Simple, you need to use an auxiliary verb do/does before the subject. Remember that when using an auxiliary verb does, ending -(e)s disappears at the main verb.

For example:

Do you live in Rostov?(Russian. Do you live in Rostov?)

Do they go to school?(Russian: Do they go to school?)

Does your brother have a car?(rus. Does your brother have a car?, dos. Does your brother have a car?)

Does the cat eat mice?(Russian: Does this cat eat mice?)

Remember!

To ask a special question (Wh-question) in the Present Simple, you need to put a question word What, Where, When etc. comes first, followed by an auxiliary verb do/does, then the subject and the main verb in the infinitive form, that is, without ending -(e)s .

For example:

Where do you live?(Russian. Where do you live?)

When do they go to school?(Russian: When do they go to school?)

What car does your brother have?(Russian. What kind of car does your brother have?)

Why does the cat eat mice?(Russian. Why does this cat eat mice?)

Short answers to general questions in Present Simple are formed according to the following scheme: Yes/No+ subject in the form of a personal pronoun ( I, he, we, you, etc.) and auxiliary verb do/does for a positive answer or don"t/doesn"t for negative.

The auxiliary verb don"t/doesn"t in a short answer must be consistent with the subject: if they ask about your actions, then the answer will be about your actions, and not the actions of the interlocutor.

For example:

Do you love me?(Russian: Do you love me?) - Yes, I do(Russian: Yes, I love you) or No, I don't(Russian: No, I don’t like it)

Does your girlfriend like flowers?(Russian: Does your girlfriend like flowers?) - Yes, she does(Russian: Yes, he loves) or No, she doesn't(Russian: No, he doesn’t like)

Below are 10 more examples of Present Simple interrogative sentences.

Examples of interrogative sentences in Present Simple with translation:

The verb to be in the Present Simple

Conjugation of the verb to be in the present tense: affirmative form, negation, questions and short answers

Everyone is well aware that almost “every rule has exceptions.” This could not have happened without Present Simple Tense.

Below are the verb conjugation tables to be in the affirmative, negative and interrogative forms in the Present Simple:

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, statement

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, negation

Table: conjugation of the verb to be (am, is, are) in the present tense, questions

As you can see, verb to be conjugates by persons in the Present Simple and has its own forms am, is, are. It is the only verb in the English language that has its own form depending on the person and number of the subject.

Rules for using Present Indefinite in English

The Present Simple is a tense that is often used to describe regular actions that occur in the present tense.

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, Present Indefinite- this is a tense that we use not only to describe actions taking place in the present time.

It is a tense that can describe various actions, whether occurring regularly or once, occurring in the present or even those that will occur in the future.

So let's figure it out when to use Present Simple and what it conveys in English.

Present Simple for the present tense

Present Indefinite is often used to indicate repeated actions in the present tense.

1. Present Simple is used to indicate condition, regular, repetitive actions, habits, daily routine.

In this meaning, the Present Simple with a verb is often used adverbs of frequency(adverbs of frequency) designed to answer how often an action occurs:

100% always(Russian always)

85% usually(Russian usually)

60% often(Russian often)

50% sometimes(Russian sometimes)

10% hardly ever(Russian rarely)

0% never(Russian never)

You can find out more about the clue words for Present Simple in the article, but now let’s look at the examples:

2. We also use the Present Simple when we speak about scientific facts, laws of nature, generally accepted statements and known facts .

Examples of sentences with Present Simple:

3. Present Simple is also used when description of sequential actions, especially often found in the description of instructions, recipes, manuals.

Examples of sentences with Present Simple:

Present Simple for future tense

Using the Present Simple to denote future actions that occur on schedule

1. We use Present Indefinite indicating the future tense for schedules of trains, planes, theater and cinema shows, concerts etc.

In this case, the Present Simple shows that the action occurs regularly and is repeated with some frequency.

Examples of sentences with Present Simple:

2. Another use of the Present Simple for the future tense is subordinate clauses conditions (First Conditional).

(Russian: Conditional sentences of the first type) denotes a real action that will definitely be performed in the near future, subject to some condition.

In such sentences Present Simple used in sentences with if, even when the proposals refer to the future. They are translated into Russian using verbs in the future tense.

Examples of sentences with Present Simple:

3. A similar case of using the Present Simple to express the future tense is its use in subordinate clauses of time .

We use the Present Simple after conjunctions when, as soon as, until, unless, before, after in subordinate clauses that indicate future action.

Examples of sentences with Present Simple:

In future articles we will look in more detail at differences between Present Simple and other tenses in English that are relevant to the present.

Instead of a conclusion:

In this article, we tried to explain as simply as possible how the Present Simple is formed and when the Simple Indefinite tense should be used in English.

As you have seen, there is nothing easier than building affirmative, interrogative or negative sentences in the Present Simple to describe constant, regular activities that happen to you on a daily basis.

Now we invite you to test your knowledge by completing the following test on the Present Simple.

Exercises on Present Simple

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate form of the verb in the Present Indefinite:

go(es), travel(s), fly(s), do(es), use(s), drink(s), live(s), want(s), visit(s), look(s), like(s)

We often ____ to foreign countries.
She ____ her homework every evening.
I don't often ____ coffee.
My friend ____ in a very big house.
They always ____ us in summer.
Why do you ____ so sad?
Tom and Ann ____ to the cinema every Friday.
We never ____ to our grandparents, we usually ____ a train.
Lilly ____ swimming and sunbathing a lot.
Richard's parents ____ him to go to a private school.

In contact with

It is known that when learning English, many people have difficulties with the complex system of verb tenses. In English grammar, there are 26 types of verb tenses in both voices (active and passive). Many people can’t even remember them, let alone use them correctly. How can you remember all these tenses in English?

To begin with, I compiled a table of English tenses with examples, which reflected absolutely all their types. It is important that this table contains examples, so you can see how and what exactly is changing.

It should be taken into account that in English there are four groups of tenses.

Tenses in English

indefinite

long (Continuous)

perfect

Perfect-Continuous.

In each of these tense groups there are four tenses:

present

past (Past)

future

future in the past (Future-in-the-past).

In addition, there are five verb forms in English.

English verb forms

infinitive (indefinite form, which is given in dictionaries)

verb in the third person and singular (always ends in -s or -es)

simple past tense (regular verbs have the ending -ed or -d, and irregular ones must be looked at in a special table of irregular verbs)

past participle (regular verbs again have the ending -ed or -d, and irregular verbs must also be looked at in a special table of irregular verbs)

present participle (always ends in -ing).

All this seems terribly complicated, although it is not. In Russian we say: I’m walking, he’s walking, we’re walking, you’re walking, you’re walking, they’re walking, it’s walking. Here are seven forms of the verb "to go" in the present tense. And there is also the future and the past. And each has its own endings and prefixes. English has few endings. This is compensated by the presence of complex and varied prepositions and a large number of tense forms of the verb.

Table of English tenses with examples

To prevent the table from being cumbersome, the following conventions are used here:

V – infinitive.

V-es is a verb in the third person, singular, present tense.

V-ed is the simple past tense. This is a verb ending in –ed or –d. For irregular verbs, this is the second column of the table of irregular verbs.

V3 – past participle. Regular verbs typically end in –ed or –d. For irregular verbs, this is the third column of the table of irregular verbs.

V-ing is the present participle.

To illustrate the translation of each form of the verb, an example phrase is given - a sentence in English with this form and its translation. The form of the verb and its translation are underlined in the sentences.

Comments are provided where required.

Please note that there are six fewer forms of the English verb in the passive voice (Passive) than in the active voice (Active).

Active(active voice)

Passive(passive voice)

Indefinite (uncertain times)

Present (present time)

I write letters every day.
I writing letters every day.

The letter is written.
This letter write.

Past (past tense)

I wrote a letter yesterday.
Yesterday I wrote letter.

The letter was written yesterday.
This letter was written yesterday.

Future (future tense)

I will write a letter tomorrow.
I I'll write letter tomorrow.

The letter will be written tomorrow.
This letter will be written Tomorrow.

Future-in-the-past (future in the past)

I said that I should write a letter to him.
I said that I I'll write a letter to him.

would, should be V3

He said that the letter would be written tomorrow.
He said that the letter will be written Tomorrow.

Continuous (long times)

Present

I am writing a letter (at the present moment).
I writing letter (currently).

The letter is being written.
This letter write(At the moment).

Past

I was writing a letter at five o’clock.
I wrote letter at five o'clock.

was, were being V3

The letter was being written at five o'clock.
This letter wrote at five o'clock.

Future

I will be writing a letter at five o’clock.
I I will write letter at five o'clock.

——-

Future-in-the-past

would, should be V-ing

I said that I should be writing a letter at five o’clock.
I said that I I will write letter at five o'clock.

——-

Perfect (perfect tenses)

Present

I have written the letter.
I have already wrote letter (to date).

have, has been V3

The letter has been written.
This letter is already written(to date).

Past

I had written the letter by five o'clock.
I have already wrote letter by five o'clock.

The letter had been written by five o'clock.
By five o'clock the letter is already wrote.

Future

I will have written the letter by five o'clock.
I have already I'll write letter by five o'clock.

will have been V3

The letter will have been written by five o'clock.
By five o'clock the letter is already will be written.

Future-in-the-past

would, should have V3

I said that I should have written the letter by five o'clock.
I said I already I'll write letter by five o'clock.

would, should have been V3

He said that the letter would have been written by five o'clock.
He said that by five o'clock the letter had already arrived. will write.

Perfect-Continuous (perfect-long tenses)

Present

I have been writing the letter for an hour.
I writing the letter is already an hour old.

——-

Past

I had been writing
I wrote the letter was already an hour old when he arrived.

——-

Future

will have been V-ing

I will have been writing the letter for an hour when he comes.
I I will write the letter is already an hour when he arrives.

——-

Future-in-the-past

would, should have been V-ing

I said that I should have been writing the letter for an hour when he came.
I said that I I will write This letter is already an hour away when it arrives.

——-

How to use the tense table in English?

Print the table and carry it with you. But it’s even better to rewrite the table by hand. This way she will be better remembered. At every opportunity, just look through it. Try to grasp in detail how the translations of different tense forms differ.

It's even better if you try to make your sentences with different verbs for each tense. This is not always easy, but very rewarding work.

After about a week, you will realize that you have learned the table of English tenses by heart. Check this by restoring it on paper from memory. Now it will be much easier for you to translate from English, since you will immediately notice these forms in the texts and they will not confuse you. All other words can be looked up in dictionaries, and knowledge of tense forms will allow you to connect these words without losing the meaning and idea of ​​the author.

All! Congratulations on mastering a large part of English grammar!!! Now you won't be scared at times in English!

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